Every year, the Perseid meteor shower, popularly known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence, captures the imagination of skywatchers. These streaks of light aren’t magical fragments from another world; they are small rocks entering Earth’s atmosphere at high speed. As they collide with the air, friction heats them until they burn brilliantly, briefly lighting up the night before they disintegrate. Only the largest fragments ever make it to the ground.
When to see them?
The peak typically occurs on the nights of August 12 and 13, according to the National Geographic Institute. The best viewing window often spans a few nights before and after these dates as well. This year, the spectacle is enhanced by a near-new Moon, whose absence reduces light pollution and helps the meteor shower shine in full. Clear skies are essential, of course, for the best possible display.
Where can I observe them?
To enjoy the Perseids, viewers should seek dark skies away from city lights. In large urban areas such as Madrid, Barcelona, or Valencia, a distance of several tens of kilometers from the center is usually needed to experience a noticeably darker sky. In medium or smaller towns, the conditions often improve after just a few kilometers. No special mountaintop or remote observatory is required; a wide expanse of sky above is enough.
traces of perseid efe
What does it take to see them?
Perseids, like most meteor showers, cannot be observed with telescopes or binoculars. Meteors appear suddenly in unpredictable places and last only a second or two as they streak across the sky. The best approach is to lie back or sit comfortably and let the show unfold with the naked eye.
Where should you look?
The Perseids appear to emerge from the constellation Perseus, which gives the shower its name. The radiant region is where the meteors seem to originate, but they can be seen across the entire sky. The practical tip is to look away from Perseus and simply let your gaze wander; meteors can appear anywhere, but their paths often point away from the radiant as they cross the heavens.
The point where the heroes “appear” stellarium
How many stars can be seen per hour?
A skywatcher’s forecast often predicts an hourly rate, though these numbers are estimates and can vary with atmospheric conditions. The National Geographic Institute projects around 200 meteors per hour at peak, though even a portion of that rate guarantees a memorable show. It is not a constant rain of stars, but a steady, captivating display that invites patience and quiet awe.
What exactly are they?
Perseids are a meteor shower composed of tiny grains of cosmic debris that enter Earth’s atmosphere at staggering speed. They burn up and illuminate the sky as they disintegrate. The source is comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun about every 133 years and releases dust and small particles along its journey. Each year, Earth passes through this stream of debris, and many of those particles illuminate during their fiery descent through our atmosphere.
The orbit of the comet that caused the Perseids agencies
Why are they also known as the Tears of Saint Lawrence?
Tradition links these bright streaks to Saint Lawrence, whose feast day is August 10. The legend holds that he was martyred by fire, and the glowing meteors are interpreted as incandescent tears shed in that moment of martyrdom in Christian tradition.
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